Resist attempts to privatize state media - experts

Two prominent media experts kicked against the privatization of the state media saying rather, they should be supported to become truly independent institutions that are accountable to the public.

Mr. Kabral Blay-Amihere, President of the West African Journalists Association and Prof. Kwame Karikari, Director of Media Foundation for West Africa, expressed the hope that the state-owned media have a critical role in the evolving democratic dispensation by objectively projecting the views of the people.

Speaking at a forum organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Accra, the two men and other discussants disagreed with a report by the International Press Institute that Ghana's press is not free at all.

They were of the view that the media landscape has improved tremendously over the last half-decade and gave credit to institutions such as the GJA, National Media Commission, PRINPAG and the Judiciary for their commitment to democratic principles.

However, they said, there is much more room for improvement. The forum, presided over by Prof. Kofi Kumado, Director of the Legon Centre of International Affairs (LECIA), looked at "the media in retrospect and the way forward in Ghana's democratic dispensation" and attended by public and private media heads, academia, top and middle level journalists and diplomats.

Areas covered were Government press relations, the legal regime under which the media operate, journalism education, the level of professionalism in the media, role of institutions such as the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the National Media Commission (NMC), and the role of donor agencies.

Mr. Blay-Amihere, Publisher of the "Independent" newspaper, shared his 25 years of journalism experience, saying, former President Jerry Rawlings' regime saw the worst government-press relations out of the six heads of States he has worked under.

"Rawlings did not only use the Ministry of Information to appoint, dismiss or transfer editors and senior journalists but also used the Ministry to manage news through weekly meeting of senior editors supervised by the Minister of Information.

"It was Rawlings who created what has come to be called a culture of silence in our history.

He did not only stop there but throughout his regime, particularly in the first 11 years detained and arrested journalists without trial," Mr. Blay-Amihere, also a former GJA President told the gathering, adding that even when he became a constitutional leader, Flt-Lt Rawlings continued to arrest and detain till his last year.

Mr. Blay-Amihere commended President John Kufuor's government for its indications to boost free press in the country by removing restrictive laws.

He said while he trusted the new regime would do well to keep to its promise, he still holds the view that the press should be even more vigilant when governments show such benevolence.

"President Kufuor may mean well and truly understand the dynamics of positive change but we need to remain vigilant in our watchdog role," he said, adding that he thinks a major problem facing the future of the press is how to remain independent.

He expressed optimism that press freedom has come to stay in Ghana " for as long as Ghanaians say that democracy or constitutional rule must be the order of the day."

Mr. Blay-Amihere called on donor agencies and private companies to support training institutions to enable them develop the curricula and staff to train new generation of journalists on sound intellectual basis. He proposed the establishment of a special training institution for broadcast journalism.

More importantly, there is the need for "a new wave of private investment in the media, particularly in the private sector, he said and suggested that media professionals or publishers consider merger schemes that would reduce quantity and promote quality journalism.

For Prof. Karikari who was Director of the University of Ghana School of Communication Studies said a major challenge that faces the media now is improving the intellectual and professional capacity to provide the enlightened and critical leadership.

He said for their own effectiveness, the media must conform to the basic intellectual and professional demands and expectations the people make of them irrespective of their ideological persuasion.

"There is no more excuse for poor intellectual quality and shoddy professional and technical quality in our newspapers and on our airwaves," Prof. Karikari said, expressing regret that the media has been taking the public for granted in ways that are unacceptable.

He cited "stations without programme schedules; studios open to everyone and all; poor news reading; no programme production; no features; no magazines; few own news; little analysis; talk shows, poorly produced with little research; music presentation without direction," as some of the numerous lapses needed to be addressed by the media.

Other contributors also called for a more balanced reporting by the media to make the industry credible.

Mr. Fritz Andoh, Managing Editor of the Catholic Standard and Chairman of the GJA Ethics Committee suggested that respective media institutions adopt the ethics for their members so that they become conversant with the provisions.

Mr. Craig Murray, Deputy British High Commissioner urged practitioners to broaden their know-how in the basic economics of marketing their products in order to attract the much needed investment.

Mr. S.K. Apea, Senior Fellow of the IEA called for a debate on the merits or otherwise, of the privatization of the state media.